Improvement in shaft-tugs



No. 197,527. Patented Nov. 27, 1877.

Witnesses:

N4 PETERS, FNOT0-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, Dv C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE;

WILLIAM OBERTRIFER, OF GARDENVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT |N SHAFT-TUGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,527, dated November27, 1877 application filed October 5, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM OBERTRIFER, of Gardenville, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements on a Shafting; and I do hereby declare that the followingdescription of my said invention, taken in connection with theaccompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exactspecication, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. f

This invention relates, in general, to shafttugs; and it consists in thepeculiar arrangement of parts and details of construction, ashereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is the production of a metallic shaft-tugthat shall be more substantial and durable, and, at the same time,cheaper than those now in use. It shall, furthermore, be easier to thehorse, allowing the same the greatest possible freedom, and so arrangedas to readily slip from the shafts, &c., when the horse is beingdetached.

In the drawings heretofore referred to, Fig-v ure 1 is an elevation, inperspective, of my improved shaft-tug. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation of the same.

Like letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both figures.

A is the metallic tug. It consists of a pear-shaped ring, having bothits interior and exterior surfaces rounded, so as to present no sharpcorners to either the horse or the shaft. That side of the ring which,when in use, is nearest to the horse is curved inwardly, so as to fitthe contour of the belly of the horse, and the opposite side is curvedoutwardly, so as to produce a sufficiently large opening for the passageof the shaft.

The upper extremity of the tug terminates in two lugs, B B which areconnected together by means of the cross-bar C. The front side isprovided with a loop., G.

This tug is produced entire in the process of casting, and subsequentannealing, to render it malleable from any kind of metal suitable forthe purpose, and it may be japanned, nickel or siver plated, orotherwise coated, to

prevent it from being affected by moisture,-

&c., and for ornamentation. n

D is a buckle-piece, having the buckle E on one end. With the other endit is attached to the cross-bar C of the tug A. By means of thisbuckle-piece the said tug is secured to the back-strap F, which, inturn, is fastened to the saddle, in the usual manner, by theterret-screw passing through the aperture f in said back-strap. Theother extremity of said back-strap has a number of holes, either one ofwhich may be made to engage with the buckle E, and adjustment thuseffected.

H is the belly-band. It is passed up on the inner side of the tug (beingthe side nearest to the horse) and over the top, below the crossbar C,returning on the outer side, and under the loop G, to a buckle, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that my tug has the inner side inwardly curved, soas to t the contour of the horse. This construction renders the tugeasilyworn by the horse, and does not injure the same in the slightestdegree.

A further improvement is the arrangement of the belly-strap being madeto pass around to guide the tug, and prevent its swinging to and frowhen the horse is walking.

The tug herein described can be manufactured at a cost not to exceedthat of other metallic tugs, while it presents a neater appearance, andis far more serviceable.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. As an improvedarticle of manufacture, a metallic shafttug consisting of a pearshapedring, of which one side is inwardly and the opposite side outwardlycurved, said tug being provided with the lugs B B', crossbar C, and loopG, the whole produced in the process of casting, as and for the use andpurpose specified.

2. The combination, with the ring A, having one side slightly curvedinwardly and the opposite side curved outwardly, and provided.my.invention` I have hereto set my'hand anld with the loop, Gr, of thebuckle-piece D, seaffixed my seal in the presence of two subeured to thebody A by the lugs B B and seribing Witnesses. cross-bar C and thebelly-band H passed around said body A, through saidloop G, WILLIAMOBERTRIFER" [L' S'] substantially as and for the use and purpose Attest;specified. MICHAEL J. STARK,

In testimony that I olaim the foregoing as FRANK HIRSCH.

